Battle of Alton

The Battle of Alton occurred in 892 during the Viking invasions of England. Sigurd Bloodhair's army of Vikings razed the town of Alton as his seer Skade massacred its priests, but the West Saxon ealdorman Uhtred of Bebbanburg and his companions later arrived at the town and killed Skade's guards before capturing her.

Background
Following the Battle of Beamfleot in 886, peace was restored to England, but, in 892, a new Viking arrival, Sigurd Bloodhair, was intent on destroying Wessex after his seer Skade had a vision of him killing King Alfred the Great. The Danish leader Hastein came to Winchester and warned King Alfred about Bloodhair, saying that he had refused to join his army. He also warned about Skade, his seer, describing her as a woman with blinding beauty, but the darkest heart.

Battle
Bloodhair and his army marched into Wessex and attacked the small town of Alton in Hampshire. Bloodhair's Viking cavalry raiders rode into the town with swords and torches, slaughtering the civilians and setting the town on fire. Skade went into the church and had the priests raised over a fire with a rope, interrogating them about the location of their silver. The priests denied having any silver, so Skade had one priest burned to death, although Bloodhair put him out of his misery with a javelin. Bloodhair then confronted Brother Hubert, offering to spare the other priests and to abandon the search for the silver if Hubert killed himself to prove his statement. Hubert refused to, as suicide was not allowed in Catholicism, so Bloodhair left the priests to Skade, who slaughtered them.

The next morning, the West Saxon ealdorman Uhtred of Bebbanburg and his companions Finan the Agile, Sihtric, and Osferth headed towards the town to find Bloodhair. Uhtred had Osferth approach the guards in front of the church alone, and Osferth challenged them to battle, saying that he would smite them. The Vikings were confused by the meaning of the word "smite", and Osferth explained that it was from the Bible, and that he would kill the Vikings. As the Vikings walked towards Osferth to fight, Uhtred, Finan, and Sihtric ambushed the Vikings and slaughtered them. Uhtred then headed into the church, finding Skade standing with the heart of Hubert in her hands. Uhtred had Finan bind her hands with rope, and Skade bragged that Uhtred was her prisoner, and she placed a "curse" on him. Uhtred then had her mouth gagged and her eyes covered, and he had her taken captive. Uhtred then rendezvoused with Alfred's main army at Aescengum, bringing Skade with him.